


Your classic newsies band au!

by Calpolboi



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Band Fic, Fluff, Gen, Inspired by Lemonade Mouth (2011), Let Crutchie Say Fuck, Oblivious David Jacobs, Pining, Spot Conlon is Bad at Feelings, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:15:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24815173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calpolboi/pseuds/Calpolboi
Summary: Letting Sarah Jacobs start the band may have been Jack's first mistake.Becoming the front man for the band? Yeah, like that was gonna end well.This is basically a Newsies band au based off Lemonade Mouth and my own experiences within a band. I've had this idea for awhile so let's just see how this goes!
Relationships: Sarah Jacobs/Katherine Plumber Pulitzer, Spot Conlon/Racetrack Higgins
Comments: 7
Kudos: 14
Collections: Your classic newsies band au!





	1. Jack is tired and Katherine is determined

**Author's Note:**

> Hello so, this is a good bit of self-projection onto Newsies characters and also my first fic! This is basically the setup and I swear things get easier when we meet all the characters. Enjoy!

Three days into the new school year, Jack Kelly was ready to crash. 

Okay, crash might be a bit much but between being called into school a week early for student council duties and helping Medda finish setting up for the school musical Jack had already spent more time than he ever wanted to in school. 

"Being on Student council is great Jack! It makes senior year worthwhile Jack! Yeah right Sarah." Jack sarcastically muttered to himself while running up to the school steps. 

He had texted the band group chat to meet at lunch today in the music room but was starting to question if it was a good idea.

Sarah Jacobs who had formed the legacy band in the first place last year hadn't called the meeting until at least late September. 

It did kind of help however Sarah could do just about everything. Katherine joined willingly whereas Sarah's brother Davey was more forced. As was Jack however it took some convincing by Davey :

_ "Look Jack I am not about to be in a band with just my sister and the girl who just happens to have had a crush on since the 7th grade! Oh and who also happens to be my best friend. You've got to help me here!" _

_ "Hey Davey I thought I was your best friend!" _

_ "Jacky, please?" _

_ "Yeah, alright." _

Securing a drummer was a bit harder, but Jack knew a guy.

Reflecting on that conversation made Jack smile. Things were kind of messy whenever it concered them making music but they made it work.

Finding a replacement for Sarah hadn't been hard in retrospect. When Jack suggested Charlie everyone was cool with it. Sarah even gave him her own "initiation" whatever that meant. 

Maybe this year would be a bit stressful but at least it wouldn't be as bad as last year. Jack shared Student Council responsibilities with Specs and he just needed to secure a good art portfolio by the end of the year. 

This'd be Jack's year. He knew it. For sure.

\-----------------------------------------

  
  


Katherine Plumber was determined. Her list of goals for the year included : 

  1. Have a flawless 4.0 GPA.
  2. Produce SAT scores that'll make even her father pay attention. 
  3. Perfect her solo in Heartbreak Hotel for the musical (Katherine you had the whole summer, come on)
  4. Become head editor of The Tribute by the end of the year.
  5. Get a killer bass solo.
  6. Stop thinking about Sarah Jacobs. (She's in college after all! ~~Probably not even thinking about you)~~



Easy right?

Katherine reread her list that she had written into her English journal on the first day. It was always important to remind herself of her goals to stay on track.

Katherine wouldn't call herself "high maintenance", per say. More "ambitious" or even "eager". You couldn't get anywhere in this world without being a bit relentless. 

That was a lesson her father taught well.

Three days in, Katherine had eased into her old school routine.

Although she was surprised by Jack calling a band meeting so early this year, Katherine couldn't blame him. When Sarah came up with the idea she texted Katherine at 4am to ask if she wanted in.

Katherine, of course jumped on board immediately. 

Maybe things didn't go completely smoothly, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that they had a good time. And made decent music of course.

After the bell went during English to release them to lunch, Katherine got up and stood by Davey's seat. He was still jotting down notes, making sure everything was written down.

"Uh, Davey, you coming?" Katherine asked, nudging him.

"What? Oh hey Katherine" Davey said, barley looking up, still writing. 

David Jacobs and Katherine Plumber had been friends since David's book report on Percy Jackson in the 7th grade. Since then, David and Katherine had become inseparable. They both had a tendency to be "try-hards" as Jack put it. 

On that point Katherine could thank Davey for introducing her to Jack and Sarah which formed them a nice little gang. "Little" being an understatement sometimes, seeing as Jack had a gift for making friends with just about anyone. No wonder he got voted on to the student council.

"So, will you be moving from your seat any time soon or-" Katherine questioned, her eyebrow raised.

"Oh yeah, I just need to ask Mr. Denton a few questions about the essay assignment due for next week, but I'll be right behind you" Davey said, eyes still glued to his notebook. 

"Alright, but just make sure-" Katherine started to say, before Davey cut her off, stood up and shouted 

"Mr. Denton, wait! I have a few questions concerning the topic of the essay-" as Denton was leaving the room.

Before running down the hall after him Davey popped his head around the door and reassured Katherine 

"I'll be there soon. 10 minutes, tops!" Before dashing down the hallways, as if his future depended on it. 

Maybe it did, Katherine wasn't sure anymore. 

But Katherine was certain that she'd always have a hard time making the Jacob siblings pay attention. To her at least.


	2. Spot is also tired and Crutchie is nervous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spot and Race bicker for awhile and Crutchie is somewhat amused.

Spot was, for lack of a better term, _knackered._

Still jet lagged, it was a miracle he was even awake at all. If it wasn't for Race and Albert he would have walked into more doors and other various intimate objects. 

He walked, somewhat dazed into the bare music room. Nothing much had changed since last year. A few old acoustic guitars in the corner, the worn out piano, some ancient music themed posters made by 7th graders years ago peeling off the walls and the beaten up drum kit, his pride and joy.

There stood Racetrack Higgins, already in the room.

"Race, you're not even in the band, what are you doing here?" Spot grumbled.

"Hey! I'm basically the band's mascot at this point and if it wasn't for me you probably wouldn't have found half your classes." Race said, jumping onto a nearby table, stretching his legs out.

"While I'm grateful for that I still have no idea why you're here. How did you even know when we were meeting?" Spot asked, placing his backpack by the drum kit and jumping onto the same table as Race.

"The mascot always knows." said Race, a grin spreading on his face.

"Well can the mascot _please_ move his legs so I can take a quick nap before the others get here" Spot muttered, laying against Race's back, trying to get into a comfortable position.

"Come on! It's been three days since school started and all you've done so far is complain, grumble and sleep. You haven't even told me about your holidays young leprechaun!" Race began running his hand through his own blonde hair.

Spot snorted but decided not to slap Race up the head. Spot's "holidays" consisted of running errands, cooking, cleaning and threatening other teenagers to speak Irish. The gaeltacht was okay but he didn't have much choice in going or not so better to make the best of it.

"And how was yours? Oh wait I think I've already heard it. _Summer 1983. Somewhere in northern Italy"_ Spot said smirking at Race.

"Hey, you know my summer's are nothing like "Call Me By Your Name". I'm actually insulted you brought that up." Race said pouting. It was a running gag between the two of them about how much Race disliked the movie. Spot didn't really care about it, but enjoyed making fun of it at Race's expense.

"Yeah well my summer was just like the rest of them." Spot began to nudge Race off the table for room. He was small, sure but still wanted space to sleep.

"Oi! Alright I'll move. But hey you never commented on the new costume change!" Racetrack jumped up and twirled in a circle, indicating the new red polo shirt with the ever present school logo grade 10 and above were required to wear. 

"I got Hotshot's hand me downs but at least it's better than purple" Spot said while shuddering. He couldn't spend another year in those god awful purple polos grade 7-9 were made wear. Anyways, he liked red.

"Huh, suits you." Racetrack noted, starting to mess with the drum kit stool. 

"Hey how is Hotshot and everyone?" Race said cautiously, swiveling on the stool towards Spot.

"Hotshot's grand, still working at the shop. Myron probably came home during the summer but god knows if anyone noticed. And Mam's fine if that's what you're getting at." Spot said looking Race in the eyes. Spot refused to show any weakness when talking about his family. 

"Well okay, but if you need a place-" Race said with an eyebrow raised before being cut off by Spot.

"You can come over. Mate, you're sounding more like Jack by the day. Thanks but it's alright. I don't know how your Mam will feel, having another mouth to feed but it's okay. Appreciated though." Spot said while giving a small smile. He secretly loved spending time at Race's place but he wouldn't admit it. 

"Well now that I have the "good person speech out of the way" I have something to ask you. An idea if you will." Race said while bounding up to him, jumping on his legs.

"OW, Race, get off me for Christ's sake!" Spot shouted, pushing Race away.

"Hey! And I was gonna make band t-shirts for yous! And this is how you treat me?" Race exclaimed, making dramatic motions with his arms.

"Antonio, so help me god-" Spot was now reconsidering the slap up the head idea from earlier but was stopped by a knock on the door.

A short, sandy haired kid wearing a purple polo shirt popped his head out behind it looking scared yet also amused.

"Uh sorry but is this where we're having the band meeting?" he asked nervously while moving past the door frame.

"Sure thing Crutchie! Pull up a chair, the show is about to begin" Race said grinning. 

"Poor kid had no idea what he'd gotten himself into." Spot thought to himself. Spot didn't quite know if he was referring to Crutchie or himself anymore.

\-----------------------------------------

Charlie "Crutchie" Morris wasn't a very nervous person really. Maybe the odd test made him a little tense but usually he was pretty easy going. Optimistic, almost.

But for some reason he was nervous. 

When Jack suggested him as Sarah's replacement, Crutchie was ecstatic. He and Jack spent almost the entire summer helping Medda run workshops and camps in the theatre with Crutchie being the official pianist. During that time he and Jack had come up with an entire set-list for the band if needed. 

Making music made Crutchie feel in control. He didn't have to think when he put his fingers down on the keys, he could watch the notes on the page and trust his hands to work. 

And seeing as the school had a pretty, well _awful_ music programme, Crutchie was excited to play with other people who felt the same way about music.

So when he knocked on the door he didn't really expect to see Anthony Higgins and Seán Conlon yelling at each other while trying to push each other off a table. 

No well, he _expected_ to see them doing that, that's all they did. 

Luckily they had noticed him quickly enough and Race ushered him in. He took in a breath but something stopped him halfway, like a wall preventing the air getting through. Probably just nerves.

They sat in silence for a moment before Race asking "So who's gonna play keyboard, you or Davey?" 

Crutchie wasn't sure, he assumed he would since David had dropped by the theatre to hang out sometimes and borrow any old guitars and practice with Jack. 

He swallowed and responded "Uh, I think me, seeing as I can't really play guitar. But I mean whatever works-" 

Before he could finish the door swept open to Katherine Plumber, muttering something about a list before nodding at Race and Spot and greeting Crutchie. 

Seconds later, Jack entered the room looking flustered but grinning at the sight. The band was back, bar the absence of the Jacobs siblings.

Jack greeted both Spot and Race with soft punches on the shoulder and Katherine with a pat on her shoulder before Katherine brought him in for a hug. Race began to snicker before Katherine shot him a death stare and Spot quickly slapping the back of his head.

"What you do that for?!" 

Spot rolled his eyes and began to root through his bag.

Jack passed no comment. He left his bag by Crutchie's and patted him on the shoulder. 

"Katherine, where's Davey?" Race inquired, having successfully pushed Spot off the table onto the drum kit stool, stretching his legs out.

"He ran after Denton to ask him some questions about an essay, he'll be here soon." Katherine paused and flashed a grin, obviously pleased to be back in the room. But Crutchie noticed a look in her eyes, as if she wasn't quite _there._ Jack got that look all the time around David.

"Alright, let's get started." Jack clapped his hands and walked towards the old chalkboard.

"Any ideas?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the idea of Spot being sent to the gaeltacht every summer (it's basically a sleep away camp in the Irish country side where you speak Irish all the time. Teenagers are usually sent there in the summer to "get better at Irish" but it's more a rite of passage. So Spot is going to use Irish slang like grand=good and eventually actual Irish? Maybe? Sure?)  
> Also this is what I call ~self-projection~ onto Crutchie.  
> Hope you enjoyed!


	3. In which David is already late

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I like David cannot be on time to save my life. Also Race reminds me of Leo Valdez so much I had to include it.

"Sorry I'm late!" 

David burst through the door to the music room so quickly he had to catch himself from falling over.

"Heya Davey!" 

David turned around to see Charlie waving at him.

"Hi Charlie" David smiled back at him. 

David began to scan the room quickly. No huge changes made to the room since last year.

Probably the most noteworthy change since last year were Spot and Race's new red polo shirts and Jack's new blue polo shirt all student council members wore. David still found that rule weird, all being colour coordinated.

Everything else was pretty much the same. Katherine had grown out her auburn hair a little longer since last year, Spot had somehow gotten paler over the summer and was working on that side cymbal part of the drum kit while Race tried to catch popcorn in his mouth. Jack looked well, _good._ Blue really suited him. Maybe the rule wasn't _so_ bad.

"No problem there Davey, just take a seat. We're looking at some ideas at the moment." Jack pointed to an empty chair and turned back to the blackboard.

David began to scan the room again. Not even people who did music came in here for class. Wiesel would just take them into a spare classroom where there were no instruments and assign them busy work. Well that's what he did according to Jack, Itey and Mush. 

Some old posters peeling off the walls, a couple of wooden floor boards just left to the side of the room, no doubt a building renovation that was never "completed" and the old acoustic guitars in the corner.

"Jack, may I ask where you're getting these songs from?" Katherine raised an eyebrow, asking what everyone was thinking. Well except for David, he was still looking at the old posters. He hoped the people who made them now knew there was no note called H.

"Ah you see, over the summer Crutchie and myself came up with a set-list just in case. So we could start off with a few options." Jack replied, leaning against the wall.

"This is for the Christmas talent show, not "Live Aid" Jack." David didn't even need to turn around to know it was Spot in the corner rolling his eyes, offering up his usual optimism.

"I know that but after last year I thought it'd be a good idea to keep a few options open. Not decide straight away, y'know." 

"By that you mean get Katherine's Dad's permission right? That'd be a first for you Jack." And there was Race right on cue. 

David couldn't help but snicker softly. How Race kept getting into their meetings without having a drumstick split his head open, David didn't know. There was something about his voice when he spoke, you just knew you couldn't take it too seriously. It reminded him of Leo Valdez, or really any jokester. He wondered if Katherine felt the same.

Well based on the glare she was giving him it would be a _no_ right now.

"Race-" Spot spoke in a low voice, his calloused hand covering most of his mouth.

Race pushed Spot away and jumped off the table smirking.

"Alright alright, just know I'll be back soon to print off those band t-shirts. Rock On!" Race shouted back, while exiting the room. 

"Uh" David turned his head towards Charlie, who had a confused look on his face.

"What _exactly_ happened last year? I know Sarah kind of caused an uproar on stage and all the rumors about Mr. Pulitzer trying to stop yous from performing but are they y'know, true?"

David smiled. He would have to text Sarah later to tell her the legacy she cared deeply about was still intact.

"Sort of." Katherine sighed.

"Basically we practiced this one song, Sex by the 1975. We did a pretty good version too." 

Jack explained.

" _Ah._ So I take it it went-"

"Badly yes. Turned out _Snyder"_

Jack practically spat his name out

"knew the original name of the song. Probably just got Wiesel to Google it-"

"Long story short" Katherine cut him off. "We were to either not perform at all or find another song in a few days. Not to mention other things that were happening-"

David glanced over at Jack who was pretending to stare into space. 

"So how did you pick the next song?" Charlie asked eagerly. 

"It was that guy Dutchy." 

Jack, Katherine and Charlie turned to David, peaking their interests. Even Spot turned his head slightly.

"Sarah never told us that."

David just shrugged. He couldn't really explain Sarah and Dutchy's relationship to himself, never mind other people.

"Well she brought it up the morning after the whole Pulitzer thing. And then told us all about her idea. So I've always just assumed he suggested Dancing In The Moonlight. Or he at least pushed Sarah to do it. He did come to a few practices-" 

David just continued to mumble, hoping the others would just take it and leave it.

Katherine, not fully satisfied at his answer tilted her head and stared at David. 

Jack looked unbothered. If anything, he looked more relaxed.

"Well! I guess if we need any suggestions he's here just in case."

David had forgotten, Sarah had mentioned something about Dutchy repeating senior year for more credits. If David saw him he'd have to tell him Sarah was asking for him.

Before Jack could turn back to the chalkboard the bell rang.

David, who had just left all of his notes and books in a mess by his bag, scrambled to pick them up. 

"Okay, same day next week! I'll probably see most of yous at the musical practices anyways."

Spot was already halfway out the door when Jack yelled at him "Hey Spot! Do you know if Albert is on crew? Because if he wouldn't mind helping-"

As Jack raced after Spot, Charlie picked up his forearm crutches he'd left by his chair and waved out to Katherine and David before leaving.

"Katherine you go on, I'll catch up." David began counting his books, making sure everything was there.

"Nope, you've been running around all day, I can at least escort you to class and have one discussion that doesn't concern essay titles."

David smiled. Katherine was always there, even now holding the door open to the empty corridor. David was just happy to have her close by. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is ~filler!~  
> Okay but actually this was very much filler. But I'm considering changing the title name but maybe after they choose the song? It'll be a bit obvious then.  
> Hope you enjoyed reading! (I swear things get more interesting eventually) Also any feedback would be appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think I'll do split POV chapters a lot but I thought it would be a quick and easy way to introduce the characters. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!


End file.
